Reel



Feb. 27, 1951 J. 5. KoMAssA REEL 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 20, 1948 m H m Jmaentwr JEROME S. KOMAS Feb. 27,1951 J. s. KOMASSA REEL 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 20, 1948 lnventer JEROME S. KOMASSA (Ittorneg Feb. 27, 1951 J. 5. KOMASSA REEL 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 20, 1948 Juventor JEROME 5. KO MAS attorney Feb. 27, 1951 J. 5. KOMASSA REEL 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 20, 1948 m A s A M, 0 K S E o, R E J a t t l neg Patented Feb. 27, 1951 REEL Jerome S. Komassa, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Aero-Motive Manufacturing Company, Kalamazoo, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application March 20, 1948, Serial No. 16,099

This invention relates in general to a reel and more specifically to improvements in a type thereof having a spring actuated automatic rewind mechanism as broadly disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 610,501, now Patent No. 2,485,385, dated October 18, 1949.

It has long been recognized that reels having automatic rewind mechanisms, suitable for handling substantial lengths of conventional electrical extension cord or clothes line rope, should have some means for arresting the rewind mechanism of the reel when the cord or rope has been unwound to the desired extent. The presently known means are either prohibitively costly or they must be manually engaged and/or disenaged at the reel.

If the arresting device requires manual engagement, the operator must be near the reel as it is being unwound and must estimate the length of cord or rope needed. Further, if the arresting device requires manual disengagement, the operatcr must return to the reel before the cord or rope can be rewound thereon.

It has also been recognized that an inexpensive, efiicient means is desirable in the above mentioned types of reels for preventing uneven rewinding of the cord or rope upon the reel. An effective level wind mechanism increases the operating capacity of a given reel.

Accordingly, a primary object of this invention is to provide an improved arresting device for a reel having an automatic spring actuated, rewind mechanism whereby, with substantially any amount of cord or line unwound, the reel may be conveniently held against rewinding.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved arresting device, as aforesaid, whereby disengagement of the device preventing the rewind of the reel may be remotely effected and reengagement controlled.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved arresting device, as aforesaid, which is inexpensive, effective, reliable and easy to operate.

A further object of this invention is to provide a level wind mechanism for a reel having an automatic, spring actuated, rewind mechanism whereby cord or rope will be rewound evenly upon the reel.

A further object of the invention is to provide a reel having automatic rewind mechanism and characterized by construction effecting economical fabrication, convenient operation ble of long and rigorous use.

Other objects and purposes of. this invention and capa- 6 Claims. (Cl. 242-107) will become apparent to persons familiar with this type of equipment upon referring to the accompanying drawings and upon reading the following specification.

In meeting those objects and purposes heretoforementioned, as well as others incidental thereto and associated therewith, I have provided a reel, rotatably supported upon a shaft within a suitable sheet metal housing. The shaft, which is fixed with respect to said housing, is resiliently secured to the reel by means of one or more spiral springs. Where an electrical extension cord is carried upon the reel, a suitable electric current transfer mechanism is provided within the reel housing.

A detent device, comprised of a pawl mounted upon the reel housing, an appropriate opening in said reel housing and a plurality of corresponding openings in the reel sidewall, is provided for controllably preventing the reel from rewinding. A level wind device comprising a nozzle-like guide is secured to the reel housing.

For illustrations of a preferred embodiment of the invention, attention is directed to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation view of the reel to which this invention relates as applied to use with an electrical extension cord.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along the line II-II of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along the line III-III of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along the line IVIV of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along V-V of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a side elevation view of the opposite side of the reel shown in Figure 1.

Figure '7 is a sectional view taken along the line VII-VII of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken along the line VII-VII of Figure 6, but with the reel and detent pawl in different positions than shown in Figure '7.

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken along the line IXIX of Figure 1.

Figure 10 is a central cross sectional view of a modified type of reel.

Construction The reel assembly Iii illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 6, is comprised of a reel housing H, a reel 12, a reel shaft 13, and a reel housing cover l5.

In order to facilitate a full and complete disclosure of the invention, an embodiment equipped the line 3 with an electrical extension cord 40 has been selected for detailed description.

The reel housing II, which is substantially cylindrical and preferabl fabricated from a sheet material, such as steel, has a large reel cylinder l5 and a smaller spring cylinder l1, said spring cylinder being co-axial and in end-to-end relationship with said reel cylinder. The two cylinders are mutually engaged by, and are conveniently but not necessarily integral with the outer and inner peripheries, respectively, of a fiat connection ring, or reel housing end sheet, I8. The end of the spring cylinder I'l, remote from the connection ring I8, is engaged by, and preferably integral with, a flat end disk l9, which disk is substantially parallel with the connection ring 18.

The housing cover l5 has a flange 22 which fits onto the reel housing H. The reel shaft l3, which is substantially co-axial with the reel housing H and cover l5, extends from the center of the end disk [9 to the center of the housing cover l5 and is rigidly secured to both by means of the bolts 23 and 24, respectively. The said bolts are slidably received through suitable openings in the end disk (5 and the housing cover for threaded reception into suitable openings in the opposite ends of the reel shaft i3.

The reel :2 is comprised of a pair of substantiall identical, circular plates indicated as the reel inner plate and the reel outer plate 25, both plates being provided with cylindrical recesses 21 and 28, respectively. The fiat recess bottoms of] and 3! of the said cylindrical recesses are secured to each other, as by spot welding, to form a reel center plate 32. The adjacent, cylindrical recess side-walls 33 and 34 combine to produce the bottom of the reel groove 35. The sidewalls 3G and 3'! of the reel groove are provided by the radially outer portions of the inner and outer plates 25 and 25, respectively.

The reel shaft l3 rotatably extends through suitable openings in the center of the reel center plate 32. A reel support collar 38, which is rotatably sleeved upon the reel shaft 13 between the reel center plate 32 and the housing cover I5, is secured, as by welding, to the reel center plate 32. Thus the reel I2 is rotatably supported upon the reel shaft l3 within the reel cylinder [6 of the reel housing ll between the connecting ring 18 and the housing cover IS.

The current transfer mechanism 4!, which is disposed within the cylindrical recess 28 (Figures 2 and 3) is comprised of a pair of concentric, metal slip rings 42 and 43 mounted upon an insulation disk 54, which disk is spaced from, and secured to, the reel center plate 32 by means of a plurality of disk support posts 45. The wires at one end of the extension cord are electrically connected with the slip rings 52 and 43. The cord 40 then extends through a suitable openingin the recess sidewall 34 and is wound upon the reel it within the reel groove 35. The knot prevents a disengagement between the cord 40 and the slip rings by a severe pull upon said cord.

A pair of brushes 4'! and 48, which are of a conventional type, are secured in a conventional manner to the housing cover [5, and slidably engage the slip rings 42 and 43, respectively. An electrical lead cord 45 (Figures 1 and 2), having any convenient connecting fixture 51 at its free end, passes through a lead opening 52 in the housing cover i5 and is electrically connected to the brushes 4'! and 48.

The extension cord 4|] (Figures 4, 6 and 9), extends through a cord opening 53 in the reel cylinder l6, and through a guide slot 54 in the endwall 55 of the rewind guide nozzle 56. That end of the extension cord, remote from the slip rings 42 and 43, is electrically connected to any selected means to be energized, such as a receptacle 51. The guide nozzle 56, which may be fabricated from sheet metal, has a curved nozzle sidewall 58, which is substantially tangent to the reel cylinder 56, and an endwall 55 in which the guide slot 54 is located, said endwall being substantially perpendicular to said nozzle sidewall. The distance between the nozzle endwall 55 and the point of tangency 59 between the sidewall 58 and the peripheral wall of the reel cylinder i6 is preferably approximately sixteen nineteenths of the distance from the point of tangency 59 to the axis of the reel cylinder [6, where the maximum radius of the cylinder formed by the material wound upon the reel is approximately equivalent to the radius of the reel housing and where the minimum radius of said cylinder formed by said wound material is approximately eleven nineteenths of the radius of the reel housing. When this relationship exists, the guide nozzle 53 will produce a level wind effect upon the extension cord 40 as it winds upon the reel l2.

A spring housing 51 (Figures 2, 4 and 5), which is positioned within the cylindrical recess 27 is secured to the reel inner plate 25 by any suitable means, such as welding. A spiral spring 62, confined within the spring housing Bl, is secured at one end to said spring housing and at its other end to the spring collar 63, which collar is rotatably supported upon the reel shaft :3.

An inner spring housing 64 and an outer spring housing 65, which housings are secured to each other, are positioned within the spring cylinder 11 of the reel housing H and are provided with suitable openings through their centers for slidable reception of the reel shaft l3. A spiral spring 66, which is confined within the outer spring housing 55, is secured at its outer end to said spring housing. The inner end of the spring 56 is secured to a spring sleeve 61 which sleeve is in turn secured to the reel shaft i3 adjacent to the end disk IS. A spiral spring 68, which is confined within the inner spring housing 64, is secured at its outer end to said inner spring housing. The inner end of the spring 68 is secured to a spring collar 69, which collar is rotatably supported upon the reel shaft l3 between the spring sleeve 61 and the spring collar 63. The end of the spring collar 63 adjacent to said spring collar 69 is provided with a groove H which is removably engaged by a tongue 12 on the ad jacent end of the spring collar 69.

The spiral springs 62, 66 and 68, which are arranged in a series relationship as more fully disclosed in my co-pending application Serial No. 610,501, are interconnected so that they produce the same effect as a single large spring.

A hanger bracket 13 (Figures 1 and 2) is secured, as by welding, to the reel cylinder I6 so that the reel assembly may be suspended therefrom or supported thereby.

A detent pawl 14 (Figures 6, 7 and 8) is pivotally supported, intermediate its extremities upon a pawl bracket 15, which bracket is secured, as by welding, to the connection ring 18. The detent pawl 14 which is preferably made from metal rod, has a tapered brake end 16, which end is angularly disposed with respect to the pawl shank TI. The pawl 14 is so positioned with respect to the reel housing II and the hanger bracket 13, that the axis of the pawl shank l1 lies within a vertical plane, which plane is also substantially perpendicular to the connection ring I8, when the reel housing I! is being supported in operating position by the said hanger bracket.

The pawl brake end 16 extends through a pawl slot it in the connection ring [8 for controllable engagement with a plurality of pawl openings 19 (Figures 4, 5, 7 and 8) in the reel groove sidewall 36. The unwinding of the reel moves the reel groove sidewall 36 downwardly, as appearing in Figures '7 and 8, with respect to the connecting ring l8, and hence, for convenience in reference, terminology based on said figures will be used.

The pawl brake end 16 is tapered so that the reel groove sidewall 35 may move downwardly past the tip ill of the brake end 16 without said pawls entering and engaging the openings 19. This tapering also provides that the brake end will automatically and easily withdraw from engagement with the walls of an opening 19 when the reel groove sidewall 36 is moved downwardly.

A pawl handle 82, which extends from and is integral with that end of the pawl shank 11 remote from the pawl brake end 16, is of suificient length and weight to cause the pawl tip 8| to bear continuously, though rather lightly, against the reel groove sidewall 38.

The metal surrounding the pawl openings 19 is distorted so that one corresponding edge 83 of each opening is raised toward the connecting ring I8 somewhat more than the opposite edge of the opening. This raised edge 83 is on the top side of the opening as said opening passes the pawl tip 8!. Thus, if the reel groove sidewall 36 (Figure 8) goes past the pawl tip above a certain predeterminable speed, the pawl tip is prevented from entering a pawl opening 19 by the raised edge 83 which tends momentarily to pitch the pawl tip away from said opening.

It will become clear when the operation of this pawl and associated mechanism is described, that the exact weight of the handle, the exact pitch of the raised sides 83 of the openings 19 and the exact width of said openings, all are functions of each other and will depend on the size of the reel and the speed with which it will operate. However, if the design of a given reelis made to follow the outlines here given, no difficulty will be experienced in adapting the invention to varying sizes and circumstances.

The pawl brake end H5 is preferably, but not necessarily, provided with a notch 84 in its lower side for engaging that edge of the pawl opening 19 opposite the raised edge 83, thereof. This notch 84 prevents the pawl brake end 16 from being accidently disengaged from the pawl opening '19. It will be observed that the pawl 14 must pivot in a substantially vertical plane if proper operation thereof is to be effected.

Modifications It will be observed that more spiral springs or less spiral springs than shown may be used to effect a rewind of the reel I2 without departing from the scope of the invention. Other spring arrangements, such as those disclosed in my above mentioned co-pending application Serial No. 610,501, may also be used. As shown in Figure '10, one spiral spring 88 may be placed within the cylindrical recess 28a, in place of the current transfer mechanism 4! (Figure 2), when the reel lZa is used for non-electrical purposes, such as clothesline. In this case, the spring housing 9l,.

in which the spring 90 is confined, is rigidly secured to the housing cover l5a. The outer end of the spring 90 is secured to the spring housing 9| and the inner end is secured to a spring collar 92, which collar is rotatably supported upon the reel shaft lfia. The spiral spring 62a within the spring housing Eta, is secured at its inner end to the spring collar 92 and at its outer end to the spring housing Eta. The spring housing 61a is secured to and rotatable with the reel l2a.

The detent pawl Ma may be used in conjunction with a clothesline reel. However, a locking pawl 93 (Figure 10) is here also required to hold the clothesline tight when it is in use, because the detent pawl 74a is not intended to, and will not, prevent or restrain further unwinding of the reel lZa.

Operation The spiral springs 62, 88 and 68 (Figure 2) are in a substantially relaxed position when the extension cord 48 is completely coiled upon the reel i2, there being then only suiiicient tension to hold the reel in position. The reel assembly I0 is suspended or supported so that the pawl shankl'l pivots in a substantially vertical plane. The fixture 5! is connected to an electrical outlet and the reel is ready for use.

As the extension cord 48 is withdrawn from the reel, the springs 82, and 68 tighten and tend to resist the unwinding of the reel I2 (Figure 4). The pawl tip 8| slides along the reel groove sidewall 36 until the unwinding motion of the reel l2 stops. If the extension cord 40 is released abruptly, after it has been partially or wholly unwound from the reel l2, the springs will cause the reel to rotate in a rewinding direction quite rapidly. The raised edges 83 of the pawl openings 19 will then tend to pitch the pawl tip 8! away from said openings so that, when the reel is unrestrained and permitted to rewind the extension cord, at a rapid rate, the cord will rewind iully without reengaging the pawl.

If the extension cord 48 is restrained, or permitted to rewind slowly, after the desired amount thereof has been unwound from the reel t2, the pawl tip 6!, urged by the weight of the handle 82, will slide into and engage the first pawl opening 19 which comes into its path. The notch 84 in the pawl brake end it? engages that edge of the pawl opening "99 opposite the raised edge 83 and prevents accidental disengagement.

The pawl brake end it may be disengaged from the pawl opening 5'8 merely by pulling upon the extension cord 48 to eiTect further unwinding rotation of the reel !2. If it is desired to reengage the pawl l t with a pawl opening l9 after partial rewinding, the extension cord is permitted to rewind upon the reel i2 rapidly to the desired point and then slowly until such engagement is effected in the manner already described. If it is desired to wind the cord 48 entirely upon the reel l2, the cord is released quickly and the springs will rotate the reel too fast for the pawl brake end 36 to engage a pawl opening 19 and the cord will be fully rewound.

Current is conducted to the extension cord 48 from the lead cord 48 by means of the current transfer mechanism 45 and the brushes 4? and d8 mounted upon the housing cover !5.

When the guide slot 54- in the guide nozzleendwall 55 is positioned as above specified with respect to other parts of the reel, the extension cord 48, which passes through said guide slot will substantially level wind upon the reel 52.

This relationship between the radius of the reel !2 and the distance from the point of tangency 59 to the guide slot 54 appears to be critical to effect even distribution of the extension cord within the reel groove 35, and holds true for all ordinary diameters and widths of reels.

The guide nozzle 56 operates effectively anywhere within the ninety degree range between top horizontal to downwardly vertical. If the reel is used with relatively flexible material, such as clothesline, the oblong guide slot 54 may, if desired, be replaced by a circular opening for the stiffness of the extension cord 40 necessitating a wider opening in the guide nozzle endwall 55 is no longer a factor when more flexible line is being wound.

Although the above mentioned drawings and description apply to one particular, preferred embodiment of the invention, it is not my intention, implied or otherwise, to eliminate other variations or modifications which do not depart from the scope of the invention unless specifically stated to the contrary in the hereinafter appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a ratchet assembly for a reel and having a shaft associated with a ratchet mechanism for free rotation in one direction and held by said ratchet mechanism against rotation in the other direction and selectively releasable for free 1 rotation in said other direction, the combination comprising: a shaft; a housing having an endwall and rotatably supporting said shaft; a radial flange rigidly fixed to said shaft in non-rotatable relation thereto and located adjacent said endwall; a plurality of pawl openings in said flange equidistant from the center of said flange; an opening in said endwall in register successively with each of said pawl openings as said flange rotates; a weight actuated pawl pivotally mounted on the endwall of said housing for movement in a Vertical plane and substantially perpendicular to the said endwall, so weighted that the engaging tip of said pawl is gravitationally urged toward said flange and positioned so that the said engaging tip of said pawl can pass through said endwall opening and into the one of said pawl openings in register therewith; means providing a plurality of pairs of gradual slopes each pair defining a raised area in the surface of said flange equidistant from the center of said flange as said flange openings, and located one immediately adjacent each of said flange openings on the side of each thereof which leads as said flange rotates in said other direction.

2. In a ratchet assembly for a cord reel having a shaft associated with a ratchet mechanism for free rotation in one direction and held by said' ratchet mechanism against rotation in the other direction and selectively releasable for free rotation in said other direction, the combination comprising: a shaft; a housing having an endwall and rotatably supporting said shaft; a radial flange rigidly fixed to said shaft in non-rotatable relation thereto and located adjacent said endwall; a pawl opening in said flange; an opening in said endwall in register with said pawl opening periodically as said flange rotates; a weight actuated pawl pivotally mounted on the endwall of said housing for movement in a vertical plane and substantially perpendicular to the said endwall, so weighted that the engaging tip of said pawl is gravitationally urged toward said flange and positioned so that the said engaging tip of said pawl can pass through said endwall opening and into said pawl opening when it becomes in register therewith; means providing a pair of gradual slopes each defining a raised area in the surface of said flange equidistant from the center of said flange as are said flange openings, and located immediately adjacent said pawl opening on the side thereof which leads as said flange rotates in said other direction.

3. In a cord reel having a housing and a disc mounted thereon for free rotation in one direction and held by a ratchet mechanism against rotation in the other direction and selectively releasable for free rotation in said other direction, the improvement in said ratchet mechanism comprising: a disc in said housing adjacent an endwall and means defining an opening therethrough; a spring resilientl resisting rotation of said disc in one direction; said disc distorted for providing a plurality of low undulations parallel to the periphery of said disc; a plurality of .pawl openings in said disc successively registering with the opening through said endwall as said disc rotates and equidistant from the center of said disc; said pawl openings each located in the respective slopes of each raise of said undulations which are directed away from the direction which leads as said disc rotates in said other direction under the urging of said spring, a pawl pivotally mounted on the endwall of said housing and positioned so that the said engaging tip of said pawl can pass through said endwall opening and into one of said pawl openings in register therewith; pressure means for urging the engaging tip of said pawl toward said disc.

4. In a reel having a housing and a disc rotatably mounted thereon for free rotation in one direction and held by a ratchet mechanism against rotation in the other direction, the improvement in said ratchet mechanism comprising: an endwall in said housing adjacent said disc and means defining an opening therethrough; a spring resiliently resisting rotation of said disc in one direction; a plurality of low undulations on said disc adjacent said endwall and parallel to the periphery of said disc; a plurality of pawl openings in said flange successively registering with the opening through said endwall as said disc rotates and equidistant from the center of said disc; said pawl openings located one in the slope of each raise of said undulations which is directed away from the direction which leads as said disc rewinds under the urging of said spring; a weight actuated pawl pivotally mounted on the endwall of said housing for movement in a vertical plane and substantially perpendicular to the said endwall, so weighted that the engaging tip of said pawl is gravitationally urged toward said disc and positioned so that the said engaging tip of said pawl can pass through said endwall opening and into the one of said pawl openings in register therewith.

5. In a ratchet assembly for a reel and having a shaft associated with a ratchet mechanism for free rotation in one direction and held by said ratchet mechanism against rotation in the other direction and selectively releasable for free rotation in said other direction, the combination comprising: a shaft; a housing rotatably supporting said shaft; a radial flange rigidly fixed to said shaft in non-rotatable relation thereto and located adjacent a wall of said housing; a plurality of pawl openings in said flange equidistant from the center of said flange; an opening in said wall of said housing in register successively with each of said pawl openings as said flange rotates; a weight actuated pawl pivotally mounted on said wall of said housing for movement in a vertical plane and so weighted that the engaging tip of said pawl is gravitationally urged toward said flange and positioned so that the said engaging tip of said pawl can pass through said housing opening and into the one of said pawl openings in register therewith; means providing a plurality of pairs of gradual slopes each pair defining a raised area in the surface of said flange equidistant from the center of said flange as said flange openings, and located one immediately adjacent each of said flange openings on the side of each thereof which leads as said flange rotates in said other direction.

6. In a ratchet assembly for a reel and having a shaft associated with a ratchet mechanism for free rotation in one direction and held by said ratchet mechanism against rotation in the other direction and selectively releasable for free rotation in said other direction, the combination comprising: a shaft; a housing having an endwall and rotatably supporting said shaft; a radial flange rigidly fixed to said shaft in non-rotatable relation thereto and located adjacent said endwall; a plurality of pawl openings in said flange equidistant from the center of said reel; an opening in said endwall in register successively with each of said pawl openings as said flange rotates; a pawl pivotally mounted on the endwall of said housing for movement in a vertical plane and substantially perpendicular to the said end- 10 wall; means providing constantly acting, yieldable force urging said pawl in flange engaging direction, so actuated that the engaging tip of said pawl is urged toward said flange and positioned so that the said engaging tip of said pawl can pass through said endwall opening and into the one of said pawl openings in register therewith; means providing a plurality of pairs of gradual slopes each pair defining a raised area in the surface of said flange equidistant from the center of said flange as said flange openings, and located one immediately adjacent each of said flange openings on the side of each thereof which leads as said flange rotates in said other direction.

JEROME S. KOMASSA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 222,689 Garver et a1 Dec. 16, 1879 443,871 Sheldon Dec. 30, 1890 854,554 Barrett May 21, 1907 1,024,417 Pagnod Apr. 23, 1912 1,153,188 Block Sept. 14, 1915 1,256,016 Henderson Feb. 12, 1918 1,866,282 Wuest July 5, 1932 1,899,250 Wheelbarger Feb. 28, 1933 1,951,191 Gargan Mar. 13, 1934 

